Flashes of Light
by CoronationDirection
Summary: Dedicated to @HollyBecky and @meg davis98. Things happen faster than flashes of light. Contains mild refernces to sexual violence. Small mentions of Emmerdale.  Enjoy,  Kirsten x


Author's note.

Before I start hammering on, thanks for taking the time to read this. I'll be able to update regularly until the 9th and then it might be a little less frequent. Anyway, this is slightly AU. Darren did go to prison but was let off for lack of evidence. Carla is 25 in this and Darren is 29. Frank has raped Carla and now Carla is with Peter. Secrets will come out. The Connor's are in this but only minimilistically (Paul is dead and Liam works offshore so is not always around to help his best friend) Never been to a court in England or Scotland so sorry if it's a wee bitty incorrect. Please tell me if there are any spelling mistakes or any other mistakes, I hate them! Thanks to my girls HollyBecky and meg_davis98 meg_davis98 ("LOOL:D I love this haha, even though I'm not team carter ;D don't tell anyone I told u ;D haha xx") for spell checking this for me and well I'll let you read because I've spoke for so long!

Kirsten. x

Manchester Crown Court/Court room 1.

09:53am.

Beverley O'Brien was in court yet again. It was drug offences this time. Her court cases were usually the same; she would plead not guilty, she'd get found guilty but somehow she would never end up in jail. Probably because she was an unfortunate 44 year old woman. But court hadn't gone the same way this time...

"Miss O'Brien I sentence you to 100 hours community service due to your long list of previous offences."

It didn't bother Beverley that she had to do community service. she walked out the court when suddenly she saw someone she recognised. A young woman with jet black hair. Surely that wasn't...her daughter?

"Carla we have to go in now." Darren said. He saw a woman watching in the distance but _surely_ that wasn't _his_ mother in court _**again**_.

"Okay." Carla sighed. She was as white as a sheet. She'd been throwing up all morning, probably due to worry,_ probably_. As Darren led Carla to the court he shot Beverley a look. Carla didn't need her useless junkie mother right now.

Beverly was sat on the steps outside the court with a fag in her hand. She had tears in her eyes. She'd read and heard that there was a rape trial on at the moment but it couldn't be her bitch of a daughter. _'Don't be silly Bev!_' she thought.

"Mother." Darren said in a less than impressed manor. Beverley jumped and dropped her cigarette.

"Darren, please tell me that isn't what I think it is?" She said. It was fairly obvious she'd been crying.

"What do you _think_ it is you useless fuck!" Darren seethed.

"Not my Carla..." She said her daughter's name for the first time since... since she could remember.

"That bastard raped her and it's all your fault!" Screamed Darren nearly in tears as he shoved his mother down the stairs. Beverley's screams alerted a nearby police officer who grabbed Darren from behind by his wrists.

"I hate you!" Darren shouted as he was arrested for a fairly serious assault against a woman he was supposed to love.

Peter sat in the public gallery worrying about where Darren had gone. It was beginning to get too much for Peter, he knew Carla couldn't do this without him and Darren. He stood up and exited the public gallery. He heard sirens which led him outside. He saw an older woman lying on the ground, conscious but only just. She had blood seeping from her head and she sure as hell looked like Carla. Not only that, Darren (who also looked like the woman) was screaming the odds. Peter shook his head. This woman was obvious Carla's mother.

"What have you done Darren..." He sighed under his breath as he headed back to watch Carla's reaction. She was so unpredictable, what had Darren done!

Frank was being led up to the dock just as Peter entered. Frank shot Peter a look before he was turned round by the police officer accompanying him.

"Are you Frank John Foster?" Asked the judge.

Soon it was Carla's turn to step into the stand and give 'intimate' details.

"Mrs Connor." Said Frank's defense lawyer. Carla wasn't concentrating, her eyes were darting round the room. She panicked, she couldn't find Darren.

"Mrs Connor, are you okay to continue?" Asked the judge. Carla snapped out of her worried gaze and nodded. Carla was then asked to swear on oath, which she did.

"Please state you name, Address, age and occupation." The judge asked.

"Carla Connor, 4 draper's mill apartments, 36 and business owner."

Frank's Lawyer stood and began his questioning.

"Mrs Connor, is it true you were sleeping with another man while in a relationship with Mr Foster?" Asked Frank's lawyer.

"No." Carla answered slowly. She already had tears falling down her face.

"Mr Foster claims you were having an affair with a Peter Barlow. He says you cried rape to be with Mr Barlow of whom, you are now in a relationship with."

"No, no it's not true!" Carla said in a very unstable voice. Frank was now resisting the opportunity to laugh. Peter was getting very uncomfortable. Deirdre was trying to help but frankly (pun haha) she was making things worse.

"But you are in a relationship with Mr Barlow aren't you?"

"Yes." Nodded Carla after some silence. For the first time she was embarrassed of Peter.

"So Mr Foster and you had sex and then you cried rape?"

"OBJECTION!" the judge cried. Carla had now broken down. The judge asked the lawyer to continue. They showed a picture of Carla's ripped t-shirt.

"You deliberately made yourself look hurt! isn't that true?"

"Can't you see he's scum!" Screamed Peter standing up and pointing to Frank.

"Sit down before you are arrested for disruption!" Shouted the judge.

"We are going to listen to a recording of Mrs Connor's interview." Said the judge as Carla was escorted out of the room. By now Frank was worried.

"I dumped him, we had an argument. I asked him to leave and walked over to the door to open it. He slammed me against the door and he ripped at my t-shirt. I begged him to stop. But he wouldn't." Peter retched and soon found himself in the men's toilets bringing up his breakfast as his loyal family and Michelle and Liam listened on.

Before they knew it the trial was over and the jury were reaching a verdict.

Peter held a silent, scared Carla in his arms. She had been to the toilet a few times, throwing up again. What would Peter do if Frank was let off. Especially without Darren. He was so worried.


End file.
